By Elizabeth Sultan

Parents can become overwhelmed when their child misbehaves. This usually starts when the child is a toddler and carries on as they grow. Not following directions, hitting when upset and talking back are common issues parents try to tackle everyday. Some parents have run out of options and the child has free reign to act however he or she pleases. It is important to stay in control since you are the adult and need to guide them towards good behaviors.

Many parents use physical punishment such as spanking with their children but it is not as effective as you may think. It will stop the bad behavior during that time, but it will not teach the child how to change the behavior. If he or she does not know good behavior, they are likely to continue doing the bad. Over time, physical punishment will have little effect and may even cause the child to become aggressive. There are better ways to rid them of their naughtiness.

The time-out method will quickly stop the unwanted behavior. Decide on a spot for the time-out. This should be an uninteresting area such as a corner or on a chair. The amount of time that the time-out should be can be determined by the age of the child. If the child is 5 years old, 5 minutes will be long enough for them to sit and think about why they are having a time-out. Once the minutes are done, do not talk about the incident. Instead plan ways to reward them when they are behaving well.

There are many ways to create a reward system for the child. One is by tracking their good and bad behavior on a chart. Stickers can show the total of the times the child was good. After a certain amount of stickers a reward can be given. Another way to teach the child good behavior is by using a timer. For children who procrastinate this can be quite the incentive. Assign them a task to complete. This might be cleaning their room, or washing the dishes. If it is finished by the time the timer rings, reward them. They will learn that there are benefits for doing good tasks. Praising them when they act well also helps to encourage them to continue to do so.

No one ever said parenting is easy, but there are many ways to lessen the stress and add more fun to your family. Promoting good behavior at a young age will stay with them when they are adults and have their own families.

I’m sure you’ve heard it said, “children are a gift from God.” But when you discover your children have bad behavior problems, do you feel their more a gift from Satan? Don’t get me wrong, I love my kids with all my heart but a lot of times I’m really embarrassed by their bad behaviors.

I get so discussed when they hit each other or other children, talk back to me (usually in front of my friends) or throw a temper tantrum in a crowded restaurant. I know kids don’t come with instruction manuals (if you know of one please let me know), but what are we as parents to do to control our children’s bad behavior?

First they have to know that they are loved and no matter what they do, you will always love them with all your heart. But they must also know that actions have consequences and sometimes those consequences may not be pleasant.

One thing I suggest you try is to deny them something you know will affect them the most if taken away. Find out what activity or item will bother them the most if they aren’t allowed to have for a while. If they like to watch television, tell them they can’t watch it for a day. If they love to play Playstation, take it away from them. If he has a favorite toy, don’t allow him to play with it.

Let him know the reason your taking away the privilege is a result of his bad behavior and that your very disappointed in his behavior. You may have to do this a few times before they get the message. Be ready to listen to a lot of crying and whining but be strong and hang in there. If you have children with bad behavior problems and you feel like your at the end of your rope, give this tactic a try. You could be on the right track to changing you and your children’s lives forever.

By Lee McIntyre

When a lot of people think about child behavior problems, they often think of teenagers. On the news it’s usually teenagers at high school who end up with the publicity. The high school teachers who have to cope with the behavior.

But dealing with young children is hard too. Young children can be exhausting at the best of times, but when they don’t behave they are a nightmare.

Read on to discover my 3 top tips for dealing with classroom management issues with young children.

Tip 1 – Demand respect

Each and every time you’re in a classroom with your class you need to be respected. Presence in the classroom is vital if you’re going to have complete order and calm. This doesn’t mean you have to be mean, or very tall, anyone can do it.

Use your body language and move around the room confidently. Make sure that your pupils know when you’re in the room, and what you expect them to be doing.

Tip 2 – Clear Instructions

With young children, they often have short attention spans. They aren’t very good at listening. So try to make your instructions as clear as possible. Don’t ask a very young child to do more than a couple of things at a time.

For instance, you may need them to tidy up, bring their books to you, and gather round to listen. Get them to tidy up first. Then tell them to bring you their books. They get them to sit down.

By giving clear and simple instructions they can’t forget what they’re supposed to be doing and your life becomes instantly easier.

Tip 3 – Praise

We all love to be praised when we do well. Think how you feel when your headteacher praises you on a brilliant lesson they’ve observed. It’s fantastic!

Young children love praise more than anybody. So don’t be afraid to give it to them. In spades. There’s always something to praise your class for, whether it’s individuals or whole classes who deserve it. There is no better motivator than good, honest praise. Try it, and you’ll see child behavior problems improve in your classroom before your very eyes!